An Unexpected Friendship
by Smeagolia
Summary: A very unexpected friendship...


**A/N: Written for: **

**-The Battle of the Houses (go Slytherin!) prompt #5**

**-The Collect Them All Challenge, wild card**

**-The A-Maze-Ing Race, prompt: pebble**

**-The SuperMegaFabby Friendship Only Challenge**

**-And of course, for my own personal enjoyment :)**

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After my last three pranks, Professor Dumbledore decided to do something.

It's not like I actually hurt anybody. Sure, that stupid mudblood Hufflepuff broke his wrist, and sure that blood traitor scum from Ravenclaw looked more like something from the Black Lagoon then a person, and the muggle-lover from Gryffindor did have to go to the hospital wing to get those pebbles out of his nose. But there was no _real _harm. I was just putting them in their rightful place: at the bottom.

So the next thing I know, Dumb-Dumb-Dumbledore, as some of us Slytherins call him, was rising from his seat at breakfast to make an announcement.

"This school was built by the hands of four very different wizards and witches. One was brave, one was intelligent, one was loyal, and one was ambitious. As individuals, they were great and powerful. But together, they could do something more. They built this school, a place where young magic users of all shapes, sizes, and heritages can learn and thrive in safety – _together._ Lately I have been feeling the tensions between some of our houses growing, and I have decided it's about time we remember what this school is really about. Our professors here have agreed to help me, and classmates from all houses will be in your classes, as well as any assigned partners will not be from your house. I expect complete cooperation in our quest for peace between our four houses."

My fellow Slytherins and I exchanged grins – it was obvious that Dumb-Dumb-Dumbledore's speech was lost on us. I didn't feel the shame or regret he probably expected us to feel. Instead I just felt proud that me, Bellatrix Black, could cause the "amazing Dumbledore" to take action. I didn't expect any changes in my life of pranks at Hogwarts. Who cared what Dumbledore said? He was just a thick headed muggle-lover anyway.

I was wrong. There were changes. My schedule was changed, as were all the students in my classes. They seemed to know exactly who everyone's best friends were so they could split us up. We're assigned tables in the Great Hall, so I'm now in the company of scum. Professor Shinks, the charms teacher, even threatened to demand that Dumbledore make our dormitories multi-housed if we didn't cooperate with each other.

My favorite class used to be Defense Against the Dark Arts. My best friend Samantha Green and I used to sneak peeks at the restricted books Professor Treckle kept in the classroom. We'd spend the whole class sketching copies of the gruesome illustrations in our notebooks. But now Samantha wasn't in any of my classes, or my table in the Great Hall. The only time I get to see her is in the common room, but it's not the same. The only thing she talks about is her new friend from Ravenclaw.

"A _Ravenclaw?_" I laughed scornfully. "What nerds! They're really stuck up too. If you spend to much time with them, their stupidity will start to rub off on you, and then I'll have to shun you." Samantha just sniffed and flounced away, leaving me sneering after her. _No comeback, huh?_

After they switched around the students, I was almost the only Slytherin in all my classes. It was almost like they singled me out as the troublemaker that should be isolated from their house. Well if that's what they want, then bravo, consider myself isolated. I'm not part of any thing anymore. In the common room Samantha and Narcissa were laughing while they played cards.

"What's so funny?" I scowled, stalking over. They exchanged a glance and burst into laughter.

"Oh, nothing, you wouldn't understand anyway, Bellatrix. You had to be at our table in the Great Hall to get it." Samantha said, giggling. I snarled and turned away. What had Dumb-Dumb-Dumbledore done?

The only person in any of my classes who doesn't seem to have a friend to hang out with is this Gryffindor Molly Prewett. She's a pureblood – I know because father made me memorize the names of all the wizarding families in London when I was 10 – but what turns me off is the whole Gryffindor thing. She's just not worthy of my company.

The next thing I know, Professor Treckle is announcing partners for the upcoming project, which will be worth a big part of our grade. Who was I paired with, you ask? None other than Molly Prewett, that's who.

I groaned loudly as Molly plunked down in the seat next to me. I narrowed my eyes at her, just making sure it was clear that I was not happy with this partnership. Out of the corner of my eye I saw her stick her tongue out at me. Okay, so that's how its going to be, is it?

Professor Treckle began passing out bottles of potions. It was our job to identify which ones were safe. He set a couple bottles on me and Molly's table. I picked one up and examined the liquid inside. It was a kind of yellowish color, kind of like –

"Oh, my bad!" I cried in a mock apologetic voice as I let the bottle slip from my hand and into Molly's lap. It struck the edge of the table as it fell, cracking open and getting yellow liquid on her white skirt. She frowned and set to cleaning it up. Nevertheless, the yellow stain on her skirt would be there for the rest of the day.

When she stood up to throw out her paper towels, her elbow knocked into one of the bottles, and it fell with a crack. Black tar-like gunk seeped out and onto my shoe. We watched – me in horror, her in amusement - as my feet began to swell to the size of a watermelon.

"Oopsies!" She said lightly. I grinned. I couldn't help it.

"Nicely played, Molly, nicely played." I chuckled. She smirked and held out a hand.

"Truce?" I hesitated, but then shook her waiting hand. Maybe Dumbledore's new arrangements weren't so bad after all.

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